Water-skier's leg caught in propeller

Horsehead Bay, Pierce County

A 12-year-old Pierce County girl was severely injured Saturday night when her leg was entangled in a boat propeller after she fell while water-skiing in Horsehead Bay, in Carr Inlet.

The girl had been skiing behind one boat and was run over by a second boat about 8 p.m., said Ed Troyer, spokesman for the Pierce County Sheriff's Department.

Rescuers from the Gig Harbor Fire Department held the girl's head above water for about an hour while divers worked frantically to remove the propeller and free her leg, Troyer said.

"They kept her calm, and she was a real trouper," said Troyer. He said she was wearing a floatation device, which helped keep her afloat.

Troyer said late last night he did not know the girl's identity or condition, but said she would survive her injuries. He said she was being airlifted to Harborview Medical Center.

Just two weeks ago, a 16-year-old boy was swimming in Lake Sammamish at night when he was accidentally run over by a boat driven by his sister. Chandler Balkman's leg had to be amputated. He is still recovering at Harborview.

Pursuing officer injured in rollover

A Kent police sergeant was injured in a one-car rollover accident at about 2:50 a.m. Saturday.

The sergeant, an 11-year veteran of the force, was pursuing a 1994 Honda northbound on Interstate 5 when the wreck occurred.

The chase of the vehicle, identified in a license-plate check as stolen, began in Kent.

The officer pursued the car at speeds reaching about 90 mph on the freeway. Near Boeing Field in Seattle, the officer, whom Kent police would not identify, deliberately bumped the suspect vehicle in an attempt to make the driver spin and stall.

Instead, the officer spun out of control and rolled numerous times, with the car coming to rest in the middle of the freeway, severely damaged.

The officer suffered a head wound and was taken to Harborview Medical Center, remaining there for observation.

The officer is expected to make a full recovery.

The suspect vehicle, which police say contained numerous people, continued north without stopping.

Federal Way

Child starts fire playing with lighter

A 6-year-old playing with a lighter started a fire that destroyed four apartment units in Federal Way on Friday.

The fire at King's Court Apartments started about 4:30 p.m. in an upstairs apartment and swept quickly through the building, according to South King County Fire and Rescue. No one was injured.

The two upper units were destroyed and two lower units severely damaged by smoke, water and heat.

Four families, totaling 11 people, lost their homes. The American Red Cross provided food vouchers, clothing and long-term assistance referrals.

The relief agency provided emergency housing for two of the families. The other two will stay with friends or relatives.

Man lying in road fatally struck by car

A 47-year-old Kent man lying in the road was struck and killed by a car early Saturday morning in the 11900 block of Southeast Kent Kangley Road.

An off-duty police officer with the Port of Seattle driving to work at 4:23 a.m. saw a 1995 Dodge Intrepid swerve, then stop.

The Dodge driver, a 75-year-old Seattle man, said he tried to avoid an object in the westbound lane. Only after he stopped his vehicle did he realize he had struck a person.

Kent police said there was no evidence the driver was going too fast, not paying attention or under the influence of alcohol.

The victim was wearing dark clothing. Police are investigating to determine why the man was in the road.

Ione, Pend Oreille County

Helicopter pilot killed in crash ID'd

The helicopter pilot killed Friday when his aircraft crashed while moving logs in northeast Washington has been identified as 24-year-old Bret W. Ahler of Walla Walla. He was the only person aboard.

The Karman K-600 helicopter was owned by Horizon Helicopters of LeClede, Idaho, according to the Pend Oreille County Sheriff's Office.

Witnesses said the helicopter was flying about 150 feet off the ground, carrying logs from a timber operation on National Forest land 15 miles northeast of Ione, near Sullivan Lake.

They heard a loud pop, then saw the pilot apparently struggling to release the logs suspended from the helicopter by a cable.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the accident.

Dry, warm weather is stoking forest fire

More than 2,600 firefighters are continuing to battle a stubborn forest fire that started July 3 and has continued to burn between Winthrop, Conconully and Loomis in Okanogan County.

Firefighters burned fuel in the path of two wildfires that covered more than 170 square miles, trying to slow their growth as another wave of thunderstorms was forecast.

The fires grew by 8,000 acres, or about 13 square miles, after merging Friday. They have now charred about 111,200 acres between the towns of Winthrop and Conconully, said John Townsley of the interagency fire center in Portland. The fires were started by lightning in July. Warmer, drier weather and southwest wind are stoking the flames.

Conconully State Park's main park and day-use areas are closed. The boat launches at the upper and lower reservoirs are open and so is the south campground.

Times staff and news services